The Student Reporters

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The Student Reporters

Part Eleven

By Chris

Ashley so wanted to run back to her but she didn't, she drug her bags to the elevator and she got lucky in that it came right up to her. She got in and hit the button to the lobby. When the doors opened, her parents were there waiting for her. Ashley ran into her mother's arms letting her hug her so tightly and she felt safe again, her mother would protect her from getting hurt anymore just like when she was a child. However in the back of her mind, she knew that she wasn't a child anymore and that her mother couldn't protect her from the hurt she was feeling right then.

When she pulled back from her mother's arms, she saw that her father already had her bags and was heading toward the door. "Are you okay baby?" her mother asked.

"I am now," Ashley said giving her mother another hug and a kiss on the cheek and getting a couple of motherly kisses in return.

"Then let me get my child home," her mother told her as she put her arm around Ashley's shoulder and directing her toward the door. As they went out the doors, Ashley couldn't help but wonder if she was leaving her home or going to it.

On the way home, her mother talked about her cleaning business and fussing at her father's driving ability. Ashley had grown up listening to her parents fuss at each other and in a strange way it was comforting to listen to them doing it now. But her mind was also on the home and the person that she was leaving, wondering if she would go back to her someday.

Once home, Ashley put her bags into her old room that just didn't seem to be her's anymore. Everything there was the same as she had left it for the most part but it didn't fit her anymore. She got out some clean clothes and went directly to the bathroom. She turned on the water letting it warm up before stopping up the tub and letting it fill. She took off her clothes feeling the hair on her legs and the bush that she had grown back, not to mention the hair under her arms. She got out a couple of new razors and shaving cream before getting into the half filled tub. She let it fill up around her feeling the hot water making her feel warm once again.

When the tub filled up, she stopped the water and lay back in the tub. She lay there for a moment trying not to feel anything. She wanted to stop feeling anything for a long while but her emotions wouldn't allow her that peace. She felt a sob coming up from her gut and it came out with her powerless to stop it. She brought her hands to her face and let it out. Her whole body jerked as she let everything out, the long days in jail, the frustration she felt, the resentment of being locked up with just Jillian to talk to. It all came boiling out and then she felt a hand on her back and a gentle voice saying, "Let it all out baby, don't try and hold it in anymore."

Ashley knew that her mom had come in, obviously hearing her crying and probably expecting for this to happen to her. She wasn't embarrassed to have her mom in the bathroom with her. Some of their best talks occurred when one or the other of them were taking a bath. With her mother's struggling cleaning business, this was the best time for them to talk, when her mother was relaxing in the tub. Her mother's hand on her shoulders rubbing her in a motherly fashion did help her and she was able to just cry until she had no more tears. Her mother handed her a tissue to blow her nose as she let out a last sob.

"Feel a little better now?" her mother asked taking the tissue from Ashley's hand.

"Yea, thanks mom," Ashley said smiling up at her mother; who had stood up and started for the door.

"By the way, you need to shave those pits; that looks gross." She said as she went out the door.

Ashley let out a little laugh, "I will mom."

The door almost closed when her mom stuck her head back in, "We'll talk when you're ready." She said to her.

"Okay," Ashley said just before the door shut behind her mother.

"Is she alright?" Ashley heard her father ask her mom with concern in her voice.

"She's fine now; she just had to get it all out of her system." Her mom said to her father. "I got to get back to work; you look after her until I get back home."

Ashley knew part of that conversation was meant for her and it made her feel better, plus getting some of the emotion out of her system. Yet, she knew that there were lots more boiled up inside of her. She just had to find a way to get it out. She lay back in the tub and let the water soak into her skin and into her soul. It gave her a little peace and more peace when she fell asleep. She didn't awake until the bath water turned cold on her. She drained some out and refilled the tub so that she could bathe. This was her first chance to really get clean since her and Jillian had gotten locked up and she was washing every part of her with extra care. She didn't want any part of that damn jail cell left on her body.

Once she felt clean she sat up on the tub and got her razor and shaving cream. She shaved her arm pits and then her legs. That just left her pussy with its growth of hair. She started to put some shaving cream into her hand but then stopped. She looked down at her pussy and when she saw the hair, she thought of Jillian shaving her and the fun they had shaving each other. Ashley rinsed the shaving cream from her palm and she put down the razor. She couldn't bring herself to shave her pussy. That was Jillian's job and at this moment, she wasn't sure how that would end up but she knew in her heart, that her pussy would never be shaved again, at least not until Jillian did it. In a way, she thought of her pubic hair as her tie to Jillian and that was a tie she couldn't break yet, it was strained but not broken. So she left it alone and she got out of the tub to dry off.

The next two weeks she did a lot of sleeping. She felt so tired plus when she was awake; she found that she had much too much time to think. And she was thinking about Jillian and being in that damn cell doing exercises over and over again. She was in great shape and none of her clothes fit her anymore but it wasn't worth going through that to get a fitter body. And the more she thought about Jillian, the more she missed her but also she found herself getting even angrier at her. A part of her mind told her that she was just as responsible for what happened to her but yet another part of her mind blamed Jillian for everything. She was the one that got her to help her on that damn article, but then a third part of her brain told her that it was that article that brought them together and allowed her to fall in love with Jillian. So she found that sleeping was a way to clear her mind and just not think about anything. That was the easy way out she knew but it was the only way she knew how to cope, however her mother had another cure for what ailed her.

On that third Monday morning that she was home, she felt a hand on her shoulder shaking her awake. Ashley looked over at her clock and saw that it was five in the morning and she groaned as she looked up at her mother who was in her housecoat. "What's wrong?" Ashley asked.

"I need your help, today is the first day of our contract with that new hotel. I want you to go down and get things organized and keep after the new women we hired to clean it." Her mother told her.

"I thought you were going to handle that and let dad run the office." Ashley said confused at the change in plans. This contract was very important to her mother's business and could lead to other contracts that would finally make her parents some real money.

"I need him to go the distributor and get us some supplies; he's going to be busy all day. And since you have nothing to do, I'm putting you in charge of the hotel so get your ass out of bed and get ready." Her mother said before walking out of her bedroom.

Ashley knew better than to argue with her mother after she had made a decision. That would be an effort in futility so she got up and went to the bathroom. She didn't want to go work for her mother, she wanted to go back to bed but her mother left her no choice and this was too important to mess up which made Ashley wonder why her mother wasn't doing it herself. She never left something like this up to someone else; she was the one who did the important jobs. Ashley knew what had to be done, she had helped her mother do up her bid in January when she hotel was being built. And she had talked to her about it since she had come back home. She had grown up helping her mom clean so that wasn't a problem. The only thing that Ashley worried about was fucking something up and losing the contract for her mom. That got her a little pissed off at her mother for springing this on her but what was she to do.

After getting ready, she went to the kitchen where her mother was finishing up breakfast and her father was at the table drinking his first cup of coffee. She noticed her father giving her a strange look as she went and got a pop to drink. Her mother meanwhile was telling her everything that she had to do once she got to the hotel. Her mother barely gave her time to say "Okay" or "yes mom" before another order came her way. Most of what her mother was telling her, she knew but she let her talk all the same.

"What's up with mom, why is she sending me to do this and not doing it herself?" Ashley asked her Dad as he backed up the utility van out of the driveway.

Her dad stopped the van and looked over at her and he studied her carefully for a moment before speaking, "To quote your mom, 'It's time she gets out of that damn bed and start living again'" he told her.

"Oh," Ashley said making sense of what her mother was doing.

"And I agree with her, you do need to get back to life. This is just her way of forcing you to do what you need to do." Her father told her. "We're both worried about you honey, you do need to get on with your life," He added repeating himself a bit but she knew he was making a point.

"But why give me this job, it's too important to hand off to me and let me mess up," Ashley said.

"That's the reason she gave you the job, this is too important for you to mess up and she knows you'll put everything you got into it and thus stop thinking about what has happened and is over with." He told her.

"That's easier said than done dad," Ashley told him.

"I know it is but you can do it and you need to do it." He told her and then he reached over and squeezed her arm. "And you know your mom and I have you covered, if you run into a problem, give us a call, we'll be there for you." He told her.

"I know, you and mom have always been there for me but I won't need any help. I know what to do; I've grown up doing it." Ashley said and then she sat back in her seat as her dad backed on into the street.

Ashley talked to her dad about the hotel as they went toward it. Once there, her father helped her get the last of the cleaning supplies into the hotel and got all the carts set up for the cleaning women who would arrive soon. Then just as they were arriving, Ashley went to the hotel manager and found out what rooms needed to be cleaned. This was the first day that the hotel was open and they wanted all the rooms that were to be rented out to be cleaned once again.

When she came back, all three of the women hired were waiting and they were surprised to see her and not her mother. She introduced herself and then sent then off to where they needed to go. The large conference room was going to be used that afternoon so that is where she went as her father left to go get supplies from the distributor that could have easily delivered that day. As she worked that day, she had to begrudgingly give her mother credit; she had done for her what Ashley wasn't able to do for herself. Get her out of the bed and doing something that would take her mind off of her problems and give her emotions a rest. She worked until about seven when her father came to pick her up, she was tired but she felt good in a way. She didn't have time to think all day and that was a welcome relief. She had talked to her mom several times that day telling her things that she would need to make things run better and as they ate supper, the three of them went over these things deciding what they really needed now and what could wait. By nine that night, she had taken her shower and was in bed asleep.

When the alarm went off at five the next morning, Ashley woke up with a smile on her face. She had something to do that day and it was important that she get it done right. When she got to the kitchen she saw the smile on her mother's face and she so wanted to tell her mom to not be so proud of herself but she didn't. She just went over and gave her mom and kiss on the cheek and then she did the same to her father, telling him that he needed a shave which made her mother laugh and her father grumble.

Her mother took her to the hotel this morning, getting a look at things but not making any changes to the way Ashley had organized things. Ashley figured that her mom wanted to do so but she kept her mouth shut, just telling Ashley had good everything looked and then she was gone, leaving Ashley and her ladies to their work. Ashley didn't even take the weekend off; she kept going in as the job gave her a sense of purpose.

She had been working there a month when she went to a room and saw a red spot on the carpet. At first, she feared that it might be blood but then she saw an empty ketchup packet and she cursed the people who had rented the room and just left it for her to clean. She had to go get the carpet cleaner to get it up. She didn't think any more about the ketchup that day but the next day she overheard two businessmen talking about their boss and how they would love to shoot the SOB if they only had a way to get away with it. Ashley knew that the men weren't serious, just blowing off a little steam however an idea began to form in her head. She thought about that all day and she came up with a plan for a book. A maid would come in to clean a room only to find a man dead on the floor. She screams and runs to get the hotel manager. By the time the cops get there and they open the room, there is no dead man on the floor and no obvious evidence that there had been a struggle or anything. No one believes the maid except for a lady detective that came to investigate. She looks around and questions the maid over and over again finding no discrepancies in her story. So they hook up to find out the truth, the lady detective and the maid.

That evening Ashley didn't talk much at dinner and she saw the worried look on her mother's face. However as soon as dinner was over, Ashley went and got her laptop out and fired it up. She sat in the kitchen and started to make an outline for her story adding in ideas as they came to her. When her mother came into the kitchen to check on her, Ashley didn't notice the smile that was on her mother's face nor did she hear her mother tell her not to stay up too late.

When her mother came in the next morning, Ashley was still at her laptop typing away. Her mother fussed at her for staying up all night but Ashley could see that her mother was happy to see Ashley writing again. That was the one thing that truly made her happy. Her mother tried to get her to go to bed and she would go to the motel. Ashley would have none of that as she need to give her fingers a rest and the motel would give her more ideas for her book. Her mother frowned at her but let Ashley go on. That evening, she began to work on the book as soon as she got out of the shower and worked on it through dinner much to her mother's displeasure but she didn't tell her to stop. However at ten that evening, her mother did set her foot down and made Ashley go to bed. Ashley just knew that she would never be able to sleep however as soon as she lay down, she was asleep. The adrenal rush she had been on had finally worn off.

Her new routine became working and thinking about her book during the day and writing during the evenings. Her parents got a word in with her when they could, mostly at breakfast. The rest of her time was consumed with her book. The summer that she thought was going to drag by ended up going by fast, faster than she dreamed that it would when she first got home but work and her book took care of that for her.

She had just about put all of her past behind of her except for one thing that kept bringing her back to it. That was when either Maggie and/or JoAnn would call her. She would tell her about what was going on and how her book was going and she would ask about them and about Granny. Ashley would go as long as she could but sometime before the conversation was over, she would have to ask about Jillian. That is how she found out that Jillian had gotten a job at a paper in Fargo, North Dakota. It wasn't exactly where she wanted to work, but they had an opening and Dr. Laurence helped her to get the interview. So she flew up and got the job. JoAnn laughed that the only reason that she got it was that no one else wanted to move up there and work. Ashley hated to think of Jillian living way up there alone but then when she began to think that way; she shut her mind off, not wanting to feel sorry for her, at least not yet.

When summer turned to fall, Ashley finished her book and she began to think more about Jillian and her being alone with the weather beginning to turn cold. In between editing on her book, she began to look up Fargo, North Dakota finding out about the city and the paper that Jillian wrote for. She even found a couple of articles that Jillian had written. While they weren't as exciting as they story they had done together, however they were still interesting, even if she didn't know about the area or the politics there. She also began to call Maggie and JoAnn more, just wanting to talk but she knew in her heart she didn't want to know they had being doing but what Jillian had been doing. She so wanted to ask if Jillian had found someone up there but she couldn't bring herself to do that.

By mid December, she finished the last of the edits and rewrites and she knew it was ready. She knew she needed an agent to help her find a publisher and she didn't have a clue where to start so she placed a call to Dr. Laurence. While Dr. Laurence didn't know any editors, he did know lots of writers and it was through one of them that he was able to find a good agent. So she sent off her book and she was done with it, but that left her with nothing to do in the evenings.

So after dinner, she would sit at the kitchen table with her laptop in front of her. She would stare at the screen and try to come up with ideas and she did get a few good ones that she put down, but none of them she wanted to write about at that moment. She would work for a couple of hours and then she found that she was just sitting and staring and thinking, thinking, and thinking. And all that thinking was about Jillian and what she was doing so far away from her. But now when she thought of her, there wasn't the pain and heartache that there was when she returned home, somewhere in writing her book and working, those demons were gone. But all she could seem to be able to do was to think about her and it was screwing up any hope of starting a new book.

"You know she is just a plane ride away," Ashley heard from somewhere in front of her, she looked up to see her mother sitting across from her in her robe with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"What?" Ashley asked surprised by what her mother had said and the fact that she had come in and sat down without her hearing her.

"I said that Jillian is just a plane ride away, just a few short hours..." her mother said with a soft smile.

"Why you saying that?" Ashley said wondering how her mother knew who she was thinking about.

"Because I have been coming in here for the last couple of weeks seeing you stare off into space with that same dreamy look in your eyes, and you never knew I had been here or said anything to you," Her mother said to her.

"I don't have a dreamy look; I've never had a dreamy look." Ashley replied denying the obvious to her mother and to herself.

"Honey, I saw that look when you brought Jillian here for Thanksgiving, when she talked, you had that very look in your eyes when you looked at her. And she had the same look when you were talking and she was looking at you." She said as she paused for a second then she continued, "I don't know what happened in that cell between you two, you haven't talked much about it and I didn't press you to do so but whatever happened didn't kill the love that you feel for her. You loved her then and you still do." Her mother told her and then reached out taking Ashley's hands in hers giving them a motherly squeeze that showed her love for her hurting daughter.

"Do you think she'd even love me, I have ignored her for over six months, she probably has someone else in her life now," Ashley said sadly as that thought scared her.

"I doubt it but there is only one way to find out, that's to go up there and get her back." Her mom told her.

"You need me here and besides who will make sure that the hotel is cleaned properly?" Ashley said making excuses for not doing what she so wanted to do but was afraid.

"You said that Jude could do it, you've been training her for a while and I can help her out." Her mother told her.

"Oh yea, I don't know why I started to show her everything anyway," Ashley said to herself more than to her mom.

"Because you knew where you wanted to be and it's not here," her mother told her with a knowing smile.

"Do you have an answer for everything?" Ashley asked letting out a little smile.

"I'm your mother, of course I do," she said with a little laugh. "I've been learning about you since that day I realized that I was pregnant, I'm seen you grow up and become a wonderful woman and I'm proud of the woman you've become."

"Have I ever told you how much I love you," Ashley asked as she felt the tears start to fall from her cheeks.

"A few times but I still love hearing you say it, and I love you too baby, you're my baby girl and will always be." Her mom told her.

"Maybe I'll go after Christmas, I can't leave with it so close," Ashley said making a last attempt to put what she wanted to do off.

"Honey, we've had our Christmas's with you, its Jillian's turn now. So get on that laptop and let's find you a flight out, the sooner the better," her mother said and she got up sitting down beside of Ashley.

"I do love you mom," Ashley said wrapping her arms around her mother giving her a hug which her mother returned.

"I love you too baby, I'm going to miss having you around but you got to start your own life now, I've taken you as far as I can, the rest is up to you. But you know I'll always be here for you." Her mother told her and she gave Ashley a kiss on the top of her head.

"Now let's get looking," She said turning her attention to Ashley's laptop.

"Okay don't get your panties in a wad," Ashley said without thinking and then she turned to look at her mom expecting to get slapped like she would have had when she was a kid if she dared to say something like that to her mom which she knew better than doing.

"I'm your mom and I can get my panties in a wad if I want to, now get to work," her mom said with a straight face and that made Ashley laugh letting out the tension that she was suddenly feeling. Then her mother gave out a hardy laugh and they both laughed until they began to cry from laughing so hard.

"What's going on in here, you two sound like a couple of cackling hens," Ashley's father said as he wandered into the kitchen.

"Watch it old man or you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight," her mother told him.

"Well at least there I won't have to listen to you snoring all night," He said giving Ashley a wink as he refilled his coffee cup.

"Now you know what I have looking forward to dealing with when you leave," her mother told Ashley not bothering to look at Ashley father.

"You leaving?" He asked Ashley with a concerned look on his face.

"Yes, she flying out in the morning and you're taking her, so you had better go get to bed, she may have an early flight." Ashley's mother told him.

"Okay," he said not liking the idea but accepting it. He then came to Ashley giving her a kiss on the head and he messed with her hair which he knew she hated but loved when he did it to her.

"You not coming?" Ashley asked.

"Honey, I cried when you were born, when you took your first steps, when you went to kindergarten, when you graduated from high school, when you went to college, and when they took you to jail, and I cried when you got back home to me safely. And I'll cry when you leave tomorrow." Her mother told her in all seriousness.

"I never saw you crying," Ashley told her, "you were always so strong and that made me want to be just like you."

"That's because I always cried when you were out of sight and couldn't see me cry." Her mother told her.

"Well you're coming tomorrow and we'll both have a good cry," Ashley told her and then she got on her computer.

The earliest that she could find was at eight in the morning and the price was outrageous but her mother insisted that she take it, giving her the company credit card to pay on it. Once the ticket was secured, they went to Ashley's bedroom and packed up a suitcase for her to take on the plane. And Ashley set to what she wanted to wear on the trip which was a light sleeveless sweater top and a pair of slacks that she had bought a couple of weeks back not knowing why she had. But as she thought now, she knew why she had gotten them, the top was tight fitting thus showing off her breasts and the slacks accented her ass that looked as good as it had even looked after pushing around a vacuum cleaner for the last six or seven months. She had also bought a nice leather jacket and she loved. Her mother saw what she was picking out and she smiled. Ashley knew that her mother knew why she had chosen what she had chosen.

Once that was all done, her mother decided that this was a great time to go through all of her old stuff in her room letting Ashley decide what she wanted to keep and what her mother could throw away. Ashley felt like her mother was saying goodbye to her and in a way she was. She was sending Ashley off for the last time. While they both knew she would return often, she wouldn't be coming back to live. After everything that had happened to her and Jillian and the way Ashley had ignored her since they had been released, she wasn't so sure that Jillian wouldn't be sending her right back home. She brought this fear up to her mother who dismissed it out of hand. However the fear was real in Ashley's heart and she couldn't let go of it. But she didn't let this show as she and her mother relived her childhood.

When her mother brought out the scrapbook that she had made, well several scrapbooks, Ashley actually got to see her mother shed a few tears as she relived those special moments in Ashley's life. Some of those moments, Ashley didn't remember as being all so special, like the picture that her mother had of her when she was about three and sitting in the corner. Ashley could see that she was pretty pissed at being made to sit still like that. Her mother might have thought of it as cute, the three year old her obviously didn't think it was so special. But they both got a laugh at that picture. They sat and talked all through the night, laughing, crying, and bonding as only an adult daughter and mother can. They also got a good laugh at hearing Ashley's father snoring in her parents' bedroom.

At five, Ashley's mom got her father up and she then went to the kitchen to fix breakfast. Ashley went to take a shower after her father got out of the bathroom. She knew she should be worn out but she felt fine but she knew that it was nervous energy that she was running on and eventually it would run out and she would crash. But for now, she was fine. After showering, she did up her hair and as she looked into the mirror, she realized that it had been ages since she had her hair trimmed and it showed but it was too late for that now. She would just have to make do.

At six, she was standing at the front door with her mother while her father put her suitcase into the van. "I thought that you were going with us," Ashley told her mother.

"I lied, I need to stay here and get over to the hotel. You and I had our time last night, spend this time with your dad, you know he'll miss you as much as I will. You're his baby girl and you've always had him wrapped around your little finger. You got to him the first time he got to hold you and you grabbed a hold of his little finger. So before you leave grab hold of his finger one more time," Her mother said as she gave Ashley a hug and then a kiss on the cheek.

As Ashley turned to leave, she saw her mother closing the front door and she saw her hand go to her face and she knew that her mother was having her cry, alone as she preferred to do. Ashley wanted to go back in and give her mother a hug but her father honked the horn and she knew that her mother would just get mad if she saw her crying so she ran to the van, getting inside and telling her father to get the show on the road. Then she let out a few tears missing her mother already but ready to face whatever faced her in North Dakota.

Ashley and her father talked on the way to the airport which was an hour away. There wasn't much traffic so they made good time. Her father mostly talked about her being up so far north and how he had always wanted to go there. So he made her promise to send lots of pictures and Ashley made him promise to come and see her, she didn't mention her fear that the trip might be shorted lived. Her father walked her up to the security where he had to stop. Ashley gave him a hug and a kiss.

"For some reason, Mom wanted me to do this," Ashley told her father as she wrapped her fingers around her father's little finger. "She seems to think that I've had you wrapped around my little finger, something about me doing that when you first held me."

"You're mom should keep her mouth shut, she's always had a big mouth." Her father said as his eyes began to tear up. "But in this case she's right; you have always had me wrapped around your little finger."

"I love you dad," Ashley said giving him a hug and she felt his strong arms wrapping around her and hugging her tightly.

"I love you too my baby girl," Her father said as she pulled back and turned her around, "Now go catch your plane." Then he popped her on the bottom with his big hand.

She yelped and gave her father a frown before smiling and then giving him a wave, she then went to the line. She went through fairly quickly and then she waved at her father and blew him a kiss before turning and heading toward her gate.

She had about an half hour wait before her plane was called and she went over everything that could go wrong when she got up there to see Jillian. And the plane ride was worse as she didn't have Jillian to keep her mind occupied at being so high in the air, plus she was scared about what was to come. So by the time she had made a couple of stops along the way which mean a couple of more landings and takeoffs, she was a nervous wreck when she landed in Fargo, North Dakota.

She had to stop and pee before she went down to get her bag that she had checked. She had never asked for Jillian's home address from Maggie or JoAnn but she did look up the paper's address. So she headed to the front of the terminal to catch a cab. She first felt the frigid air hit her as the doors opened and it about took her breath away. She hadn't noticed what everyone else was dressed in before then but she saw that everyone was bundled up making her look like a fool which at that moment she was. She sucked in her breath and went outside feeling the wind and the light snowing blowing around. She got lucky in that she was able to get a cab quickly before she froze to death. Her lungs were stinging from the cold air and the cabbie told her the obvious that she was dressed wrong for this weather. Ashley didn't even bother to reply to him as she didn't have a comeback; she was an idiot to be dressed as she was.

But she quickly forgot about the cabbie as they entered the city and she looked around at the buildings and the gray skies that matched her mood. She was so scared and fearful. She wanted the cabbie to hurry and get her to Jillian and also wanting him to turn around to take her back to the airport so that she could go back to where she felt protected from getting hurt. However she knew that she couldn't stay hidden all of her life, she had to go out and live her life, and unfortunately that meant risking getting hurt and she feared that she was about to be.

Before she could let her fears get the best of her, the cabbie stopped in front of an old building. He turned with his hand out telling her the money that she owed him. Ashley thought the price was outrageous but she got into her purse and got her money out, even tipping him. However when she got out and saw that he wasn't going to help her get her bag out of the trunk, instead, he hit a button opening the trunk so that she could do it herself. She then wished she hadn't tipped him so much. The wind seemed to be cutting right through her clothes and she was shivering by the time she got her bag out and the cabbie took off. She did let out a little frustration by throwing him a bird though she doubted that he saw it or cared.

She grabbed her bag and dashed into the building. The warmth hit her but she was still shivering when she went up to the receptionist who had a head set on and was busy talking. Ashley had to stand there while the young woman talked while popping her gum. Ashley fear was quickly being replaced by her anger at this girl. Ashley finally had to clear her throat to get the young woman to look up and when she did, it was with a look of "Why you bothering me?"

"Yes?" the receptionist asked as she popped her gum.

Ashley so wanted to slap the gum right out of the young woman's mouth however she bit her tongue and said, "I'm here to see Jillian Zackary, is she in?"

Jillian's name brought a frown to the young woman's face indicating that Jillian wasn't her favorite person there. "Who's asking?" She said with a snarl.

Ashley started to give her name but then at the last second, she said, "Just tell her that Alphabet is here to see her."

"Whatever..." the young woman said and then she hit a button her consol. There was a bit of a pause and then she said, "There's some strange woman here to see you, says her name is Alphabet."

Ashley thought that she heard a scream and then the young woman reached up pulling her head phones off while saying, "Fuck me!"

Ashley had to smile as the young woman rubbed the ear that the headphone was placed into, "Damn that fucking bitch!" The girl muttered as she gave Ashley a dirty look. Obviously there was no love lost between this young woman and Jillian and because she was obviously associated with Jillian, she was now with Jillian on that shit list.

Ashley was trying not to laugh as the young woman gave her dirty looks however her attention was drawn to the door a short way away from the receptionist's desk as she heard loud noises coming from within the door. It was loud thundering noises and Ashley wondered just what it was when the door burst opened and there was Jillian standing there looking first at the receptionist who just gave her a deadly stare. Ashley had a moment to look at Jillian and the first thing that she noticed was that Jillian wasn't dressed in nice slimming clothes that showed off her assets. Instead she had on this turtle neck sweater that fit her perfectly but wasn't tight. Jillian had on a pair of dress slacks that weren't a form fitting as Ashley remembered her wearing and they also were made of a thicker material. Even thought she had only been here for about an hour, she could appreciate the need to dress warmly. Jillian then began to look around the room and she eyes found her, locking onto Ashley's eyes. Ashley saw that Jillian's face was slightly fuller. Jillian's appearance had changed and Ashley wondered if Jillian's feelings for her had also changed.

Jillian's face broke into a big smile, "Alphabet!" she screamed as she ran over to Ashley wrapping her arms around her giving her a big hug.

Ashley wrapped her arms around Jillian feeling her warmth and it gave her a nice feeling to be back in Jillian's arms but then Jillian pulled back from her to say, "I can't believe that you're here." And then she pulled her back in for another hug.

"I am" Ashley said as she felt her body relax with Jillian holding her so tight. But again she pulled back, "Hold on, it's a slow news day, I think I can take a half a day off." Jillian said and she ran back to the door that she had appeared from.

Jillian stopped at the door and smiled back at Ashley, "Now don't go anywhere!" Jillian said with a big smile on her face and her eyes sparkling that made Ashley remember why she had fallen for her in the first place. Jillian then disappeared behind the door and Ashley heard her running back up the stairs from which she had come. Ashley was left there by herself, well except for the receptionist who was doing her best to ignore her. So she walked over toward the glass door feeling the cold from outside and watching the people walking briskly by, their heads covered and trying to get where they were going as fast as they could. Ashley thought about the reaction that Jillian exhibited upon seeing her again and it did give her hope, but Jillian had always been a friendly person so maybe that was the reaction that she gave upon seeing someone from her past. Ashley tried to shake off that feeling but she did have a bad habit at expecting the worse and then hoping vainly for the best. She sure hoped that in this case, she would be correct in thinking this way.

Ashley then felt two hands covering her eyes and she heard Jillian say, "Guess who?" in a soft voice.

"The bitch that the paper's receptionist seems to have a sincere dislike for?" Ashley had to say.

"Oh that would be me," Jillian said with a little laugh.

"And that would be because..." Ashley asked hoping that is wasn't because Jillian was now one of the receptionist's ex's.

"The first article I wrote here was about her uncle, who is the Superintendent of Schools here and I didn't picture him in a good light," Jillian said with a devious smile.

"Oh I see, glad to see that you haven't lost your ability to make friends," Ashley had to say and they both let out a laugh that got them a dirty look from the receptionist.

"Hold on here, I'll be back in a moment with my car," Jillian said as she put on her parka and gloves before going out the door leaving Ashley there shivering and cursing herself for dressing so foolishly. She had all night to look up the weather for Fargo but she didn't, instead she spent time going over her childhood with her mother which was a worthy thing to do but a moment to check the weather wouldn't have hurt.

About ten minutes later, Ashley saw Jillian pull into a spot in front of the building. Ashley sucked in her breath, grabbed her bag and started toward the front door. Just as she got to it, she turned to face the receptionist and giving her a wave, she put on her best southern drawl, saying, "Now you have a nice day honey." She then braced herself as she headed into the frigid cold wind.

She ran around to the passenger seat, opening the door, throwing her bag into the back and she got inside. "Turn the heat on," She said immediately to Jillian.

"It is on but we got to let the engine warm up before it will do us much good," Jillian told her.

"How long will that take?" Ashley asked.

"In this weather, about the time we get home," Jillian said with a smile.

"Oh..." Ashley said, "How can you stand this cold?"

"I can't but it is a job at a newspaper and I do love working here." Jillian told her. "I'm sorry that it's so cold, they say that winter came early this year."

"It's okay; I should have dressed warmer or at least check to see what the temperature was here before I got on the plane." Ashley told her shivering in the passenger seat.

"Would you have come if you knew how cold it was?" Jillian asked her.

Ashley looked over at Jillian and saw the worried look on her face and Ashley felt bad about complaining about the cold so much, "Of course I would have, I'd just emptied out my suitcase and put everything I had on." Then she laughed lightening the mood a bit.

"So what did you write about the receptionist's uncle that made her so mad at you?" Ashley asked of Jillian, getting her to talk and take her mind off the cold.

Jillian gave out a laugh before she began to talk, "I hadn't been here too long when my editor assigned me to go down and cover the school board meeting at the city county building. They were discussing the building of a new school which is needed very badly, by the way. Anyway there was two companies bidding for the contract and Holly's uncle was fighting hard for one company even though there had been complaints about the company's work. Still he fought and bullied the school board members until he got his way. I had an immediate dislike for this guy and I started to do a little investigation of my own. It turns out the owner of the company that got the school contract was a college buddy of Holly's uncle. I was sure that there was money being passed under the table but couldn't prove that part."

"But you hinted at it in your article right?" Ashley asked with a smile.

"I believe you know me too well," Jillian said with a laugh.

"I guess I still do," Ashley told her.

Jillian then went on to tell her how the Holly's Uncle got into deep shit over the article and he to do a lot of back stepping to get himself out of it. In the end, another vote was held and the other company got the contract and while Holly's Uncle kept his job, he had to tread lightly from there on out. Holly, of course, was pissed at Jillian for making her favorite uncle look so bad and they had a real argument in the newsroom over it. Jillian was laughing that it took her editor and two other reporters holding her back or she would have kicked Holly's ass all over the newsroom.

By the time that Jillian finished the story the car was beginning to warm up and she pulled into a short driveway in front of a small house. Jillian grabbed Ashley's bag from the back seat and ran ahead to unlock the door to the old house allowing Ashley to run right in. Ashley entered the living room, feeling the oil furnace heat that warmed the house so nicely.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Jillian said to her.

"It's nice," Ashley said thought she was still shivering.

"Well it's not as nice as our apartment but it keeps me warm and it's mine, well mine and the banks." Jillian said with a laugh.

Ashley didn't notice Jillian's use of the "Our" when she described the apartment that they shared as her feet felt like ice and thus she was still freezing even in the warm house. "Oh god, you're still freezing, how about you go take a hot shower and get warmed up as I fix us some hot chocolate." Jillian told her and then she took her by the hand leading her back to the bathroom which was small with just a sink, toilet, and shower/tub combination.

"I'll get you something to put on and leave them just inside the door," Jillian said with a smile before going back out of the door, closing it behind her; which Ashley thought was strange considering how many showers that they had taken together.

Ashley turned on the shower letting the water get warm which it did fairly quickly, she then quickly stripped and stepped into the tub. She went directly under the hot water letting it warm her. She slowly began to feel her feet again and she let out a sigh. She then heard the door open and Jillian saying, "Here's your clothes, I'll be in the kitchen, take your time."

"Thanks," Ashley replied from under the hot spray of the water.

Ashley wanted to just stay under the hot water forever but she knew that Jillian was waiting for her. Plus Ashley still didn't know where she stood with Jillian or how Jillian felt about her. Everything had gone well so far but she didn't know where she stood with Jillian and that she had to know and soon. If Jillian didn't love her any more then she knew she had to leave here and never come back, let Jillian have her own life and let herself figure out what she needed to do and how she could live without her best friend and lover. So once she was warm again, she washed her body and hair. Then she got out of the tub and began to dry her body. Once she was dry and her hair blown dry. She looked over at the clothes that Jillian had laid out for her. There was a pair of her panties sitting on top of a warm looking sweat suit. And also a pair of thick wooly socks that she out on first, even before her panties. The one thing that Jillian forgot to put out for her was a bra; Ashley wasn't sure if she just forgot that or intentionally forgot it. But that she would figure out later, now she had a question to ask.

"Feel better?" Jillian asked as she put a cup of steaming hot chocolate in front of one of the chairs.

"Much better, thanks," Ashley said sitting down and picking up the mug of hot chocolate smelling it rich sweet aroma.

Ashley took a sip of her hot chocolate as Jillian came around to sit beside of her. "This is good, I didn't know you drank hot chocolate," Ashley told her.

"I didn't until it turned cold and now as soon as I come home, I have to fix me a cup. It does wonders to warm me up." Jillian told her.

Ashley was silent for a moment, taking another sip of her hot chocolate and getting up the nerve to ask her question, then just as Jillian was about to say something, Ashley popped her question, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Ashley saw a surprised look come upon Jillian's face and then a strange look of doubt or confusion; she wasn't sure which it was. The look scared her and she feared Jillian's answer, feared it with all her heart.

"Well yes I do," Jillian said calmly with this serious look on her face.

Ashley felt the air being sucked out of her lungs as her heart broke into a million pieces. She then knew that she had waited too long; Jillian didn't wait for her and that hurt her so fucking badly. But she also knew it was her own fault for locking Jillian out of her life for so long. Ashley felt her eyes tearing up and she stood up causing her chair to slide out from under her, "Oh," she said turning away from Jillian not wanting her to see her cry.

Ashley started to walk away when she felt Jillian's hands on her hips. She heard Jillian's chair sliding on the floor and then she was being pulled down onto Jillian's lap. Ashley turned her face away from Jillian not wanting Jillian to see her crying.

"I have a picture of her, would you like to see it?" Jillian asked her and Ashley couldn't believe how callus Jillian was being to her, wanting to show her a picture of her new girlfriend. Ashley wanted to say "FUCK NO!" But what Jillian said next stopped her.

"The picture is in a heart shaped locket that she gave me, personally I don't think that it is a great picture of her but it is the only one that I have so I keep it close to my heart." Jillian said softly.

Ashley turned her head around and she saw Jillian pulling the locket that she had given to her at what seemed now like twenty years ago from under her sweater. Ashley wiped the tears from her eyes as Jillian opened the locket which still had the picture of her on one side and one of Jillian on the other.

Jillian let the locked fall back down to her chest and she reached up to wipe the remaining tears from Ashley's cheek. "I can't believe that you asked me that," Jillian said and Ashley could see a bit of hurt in Jillian's eyes.

"I'm sorry but I had to be sure, I know I locked you out of my life for so long and I couldn't blame you if you gave your heart to someone else." Ashley said to her.

"How could I give my heart to someone else when I don't own it anymore," Jillian told her with a soft smile on her face.

Ashley wasn't sure what Jillian was talking about but then again she wasn't thinking clearly right at that moment, "What?"

"I lost my heart to you that first day in Dr. Laurence's class when he called you Alphabet and I saw that pissed look on your face. And when you spit back at Dr. Laurence during the class, I knew you were the girl for me." Jillian said with a big smile.

"I fell for you the moment you walked into that class like you owned the world and you were so pretty," Ashley said to her.

"So it was love at first sight for both of us," Jillian told her.

"Well you had a bit more work to do before I really fell but you definitely stole my heart," Ashley said and then she wrapped her arms around Jillian feeling Jillian's arms going around her waist.

Ashley held onto Jillian tightly putting her head on her shoulder and feeling Jillian's arms holding her so tightly. Ashley smelled of Jillian's hair, remembering the scent of her shampoo which was the same then as when they were living together. Ashley felt tears falling from her eyes and she felt something wet on her own shoulder and she knew that Jillian was too crying.

"May I have a kiss," Ashley asked a few minutes later.

"I think that would be nice," Jillian said to her.

Ashley pulled back and she used her fingers to wipe the tears from Jillian's eyes and then she leaned in. She felt Jillian's lips touch her lips and the familiar fire was set off inside of her and she felt her heart growing back together, whole and full of love like when they kissed for the first time. But in a way, this was their second first kiss, the first kiss of their new relationship. It was a soft light kiss that felt so wonderful, so wonderful that Ashley didn't want it to ever end but it did.

"You know I need to check one thing before I can be sure that you're still my girlfriend," Jillian said very seriously as if this was something that could change everything between them.

This scared Ashley but then she saw Jillian's eyes sparkling and she had this mischievous grin on her face. "What's that?" Ashley asked though she was still a bit worried.

"This," Jillian said and she wrapped her left arm around Ashley waist placing her hand at the top of Ashley's sweatpants. Ashley looked down as Jillian pulled her sweatpants out along with her panties. Jillian then placed the fingers of her right hand down inside of Ashley's sweatpants going down until she came upon Ashley's pubic hair that she had let grow out. "Mmmm... seems like I got some work to do..."

Ashley let out a laugh, "Oh god you're crazy... but you know I got to find out if you're still my girlfriend." She then slid down Jillian's legs enough so that she could unbutton Jillian's pants and unzip them; she then pushed her fingers inside of Jillian's panties going until she felt Jillian's pubic hair and she had to smile.

"So am I?" Jillian asked.

"Yea, I think I'll keep you." Ashley said letting go of Jillian's pants so that she could hug Jillian again.

"You know we're both crazy," Ashley said feeling the tears begin to fall but from happiness this time.

"Crazy for each other," Jillian said as they hugged.

After a few minutes, Ashley pulled back and she had this serious expression on her face which got Jillian's attention, "I want us to start over and get it right but I need to take it slow. I just want us to get it right."

"We will baby, we will," Jillian said to her and then she gave her a soft kiss.

"But right now I just want you to hold me, I'm so tired, just so fucking tired..." Ashley said feeling the effects of being up for over twenty four hours and all the tension built up over that time being released.

"Come on and let's cuddle up on the couch, we got plenty of time to talk things out. I know there is lots we need to say to each other and we will." Jillian said to her as she helped Ashley up.

Jillian then led her into the living room, sitting on the couch, and pulling Ashley down onto her lap. She then took Ashley's glasses off setting them to the side before pulling her down to her body. Ashley laid her head on Jillian's shoulder feeling the love and warmth that Jillian was giving to her. The love that she had missed so much and needed so badly at that moment. She felt Jillian's hands caressing her arms and back. Ashley snuggled in close and before she knew it, she was asleep in her lover's arms again.

Ashley felt something move around her as she slowly woke up to see Jillian smiling at her. "Sorry but I really need to pee and I hated to disturb you."

Ashley was confused at first and it showed on her face but then things began to come back to her and she realized where she was. "Oh god, I'm sorry, I fell asleep on you didn't I." she said horrified that she had done that just right after getting there.

"It's okay, I kind of liked having you asleep back in my arms," Jillian said giving her a light kiss that did make Ashley feel a little less guilty about what she had done. "When was the last time you got any sleep?" Jillian then asked her.

Ashley had to think a minute as her brain was still a bit fogged, "Ahhhh... I got up yesterday morning and then worked at the hotel all day. I came home and took a shower before trying to figure out what my second book was going to be about. Then mom came in and told me that I should be here and not at home." She said with a smile. "We ended up staying up all night reliving my childhood."

"Remind me to thank your mom," Jillian told Ashley.

"I will and she was right, here is where I needed to be, I just wished you had found a place to work that wasn't within the Arctic Circle," Ashley said with a little laugh.

"Me too but it was a newspaper that was willing to take a chance on me so I had to take it." Jillian told her.

"I know and I don't really care, I'll get used to it and besides I can write anywhere, it's just that you're going to have to support us until I can sell my first book, if I can sell it." Ashley told her.

"I'm sure it will and you can tell me all about it after you get your fat ass off my lap so I can go pee before I pee on both of us." Jillian told her.

"Fat ass... you called me a fat ass!" Ashley said with a shocked expression.

"Yes I did," Jillian said as she popped Ashley on the bottom.

"Ouch!" Ashley said with a hurt look on her face and then she gave Jillian a devious grin, "Well you can watch this fat ass beat you to the bathroom," Ashley said and then she jumped off Jillian's lap running and laughing toward the bathroom hoping to find it before Jillian had a chance to catch her.

"You little bitch!" She heard Jillian call her and she laughed. It was like old times again and that made her feel good.

Ashley actually ran past the bathroom and had to slide to a stop on the hardwood floors but she still made it into the bathroom just before Jillian came running around the corner. Ashley really did have to go pee so she pulled her sweatpants and panties down, sitting on the toilet just as Jillian entered the bathroom.

"Beat ya!" Ashley said with a giggle as she began to pee.

"I'm going to beat you if you don't hurry and get off that toilet," Jillian said with a smile.

"I'm done," Ashley said getting some toilet paper and she whipped her pussy dry. Then she noticed some redness on the toilet paper just before she dropped it into the toilet. "Shit!" Ashley said as she felt the little cramps that she had been ignoring with everything else she had on her mind.

"What's the matter?" Jillian asked with some concern on her face.

"I just started my damn period," Ashley said highly disappointed at her body for doing this to her right at this time.

"It's cool," Jillian said with a smile. She then leaned down opening the door under the sink pulling out a box of tampons, and getting two out.

Ashley smiled as she took one from Jillian, "I see our bodies are still in sync."

"Yep, I started mine yesterday, so we're pretty close." Jillian said, "But it's cool, it'll give us more time to talk and get to know each other again."

"Yea it will," Ashley said as she inserted the tampon into her body. She then got up throwing the cardboard sleeve into the garbage.

Ashley washed her hands as Jillian peed and then changed out her tampon and they talked a little about how their bodies had synced up when Ashley moved in and how they seemed to have stayed that way.

Once Jillian finished washing her hands, she asked Ashley, "So you want another cup of hot chocolate?"

"Another cup, I don't remember drinking the first cup," Ashley said to her.

"You know that is one thing I didn't miss from you, your smart ass mouth!" Jillian told her pushing Ashley a little.

"I thought you loved my smart mouth," Ashley said pouting a little.

"I loved your mouth but when it was doing something other than making smart ass remarks," Jillian said giving Ashley a wink and making Ashley blush a little.

"I bet you do," Ashley said with a giggle.

They went on into the kitchen where Jillian made them two fresh cups of hot chocolate, which they took into the living room. Before Jillian sat down on the couch, she went back into the bedroom to change out of her clothes. Ashley wondered just what she would come back wearing and was a bit surprised to see her in a pair of sweats, much like she was wearing. She also had on a pair of wooly socks like she had given Ashley to wear.

"Love your socks," Ashley told her with a smile.

"Yea I invested heavily into these things, with these hardwood floors and the cold winters here I knew I would put them to use." Jillian said sitting down beside of her.

"Well you're not getting these back, I'm laying claim to them." Ashley told her.

"But those are my favorite pair," Jillian told her giving her a little pout.

"Well they're mind now," Ashley said though she did give Jillian a little kiss to make up for taking her favorite socks.

"So tell me about the paper, how you like being a real reporter?" Ashley asked Jillian getting her to talk and thus she could catch what she had missed out on.

Jillian's eyes lit up as she began to tell about coming here and she said that she even liked doing to obits to get her feet wet because she was doing what she had dreamed about doing all her life. None of the stories that she had done were as exciting as the one she and Ashley had done but it was fun all the same. She talked until they decided that they were hungry and then it was time for Ashley to talk. Ashley sort of skipped the first few weeks of being home; starting with having to set up work at the hotel and then figuring out a story line for her first book. She told Jillian a little about the book but not giving much away as she wanted Jillian to read it and see if she liked it. They kept things light until about eight when Ashley began to yawn. The short nap that she took helped but she was still way behind on her sleep and the stress of the last twenty four hours had gotten to her.

They went to the bathroom to freshen up and brush their teeth before heading to the bedroom. When they got to the bed, they both stopped and looked at each other. Ashley decided to take the first step; she reached down taking the bottom of her sweatshirt into her hands, pulling it over her head revealing her breasts to Jillian who was watching intently. This Ashley liked to see and she had to smile. She then reached down and pushed off her sweat pants leaving her panties on. Since she was on her period; she preferred to keep them on. She then slipped under the covers feeling the warmth of the heated mattress pad.

Jillian appeared a bit nervous as she stood beside of the bed, "I'm afraid that I've gained a little weight, I'm not sure I want you to see me now." Jillian said and she bit her lower lip. This vulnerability in Jillian was nice to see but Ashley wanted to assure her.

"I don't care, I'll still love you," Ashley told her sincerely.

"I don't know..." Jillian said biting her lower lip harder but she did reach down to the hem of her sweatshirt and she pulled it up over her head. Ashley noticed that Jillian's breasts were slightly larger and Jillian's stomach had the slightest budge. Jillian pushed her sweatpants down leaving her brief panties.

"You look beautiful," Ashley told her holding out her arms to Jillian.

Jillian came to her saying, "I'm going to lose all the weight I've gain, I promise."

Jillian lay down beside of her and Ashley hugged her tightly, "You had better not lose it all, I love your body just the way it is, all nice and soft and pretty." Ashley told her as she turned Jillian onto her back and laid her head on Jillian's shoulder.

"You really think I'm prettier now?" Jillian asked her.

Ashley rose up a bit and said, "Yes I do. I noticed that you had gained a bit of weight when I saw you at the newspaper and I thought that you so beautiful. Your face isn't so thin and it makes you prettier."

"I'm not sure I believe you but thank you all the same," Jillian told her giving her a kiss.

"I'm serious and if you try to lose any weight, I'll just feed you more," Ashley told her.

"You would too," Jillian said with a little laugh.

Ashley then settled back down and they were both quiet for a while. Ashley loved the feel of Jillian's body against her body. It felt so warm and safe being here with Jillian and she knew her mother was right, this was her home now, wherever Jillian was, was her home.

Ashley was just getting sleepy when she felt Jillian move under her and she knew that Jillian was about to ask her something and she figured that she knew what it was. "One day, not today or anytime soon but I need to know what happened that made you have to leave me. I just need to understand what I did wrong so I won't do it again," Jillian said and Ashley could feel the pain in Jillian's voice.

Ashley knew she would have to answer this question and now was as good a time as any; she just needed to say it right. Ashley sat up and reached over to turn on the bedside lamp. She put on her glasses as Jillian sat up and she had this look of concern on her face.

Ashley took in a deep breath and slowly let it out as she composed her thoughts, "You do deserve an answer and maybe we need to talk about this before we go on, otherwise it will be the elephant in the room that you wonder about and I keep trying to figure out how to tell you." Ashley told her and she took a breath before adding, "First off I don't blame you for what happened, I really don't."

"But it was my fault, I'm the one who got you to help me and I'm the one who kept pushing things toward the end with us going to jail." Jillian said and Ashley saw the pain in Jillian's eyes and face.

"But you are also the one who got us together, that story tied us together and that I'm grateful for, without it I'm not sure that we would have gotten together. Yes we were attracted to each other but would that have been enough to either get us together or keep us together. But that isn't really important here, what is important is why I ran away from you and stayed away for so long." Ashley told her and before Jillian could say anything, she went on.

"From that moment when we were subpoenaed, I knew of the possibility of us going to jail to protect Granny." Ashley said then she paused, "No that's not right. I knew but I didn't know."

This earned her a confused look from Jillian which was well deserved as what she said made no sense but to her it did.

"You see, we talked about it and we talked about it to Alex but in my heart, I never thought that we'd end up in jail. I thought that somehow Alex would keep us out of jail or the Judge would feel sorry for a couple of students who had no clue as to what was happening. But I was the one who had no clue; you knew what was going to happen and prepared for it. I chose to acknowledge it but also deny it in my heart and my mind. So up to the day that we appeared before the judge, I just felt like nothing was going to happen to us. But then Judge Bean had the balls to send two students to jail. And even after that, I thought it was only going to be for a day or two before everyone came to their senses. Or maybe that Granny would come to our rescue but that didn't occur." Ashley said and she saw the tears running down Jillian's cheeks and that hurt her but she had to finish what she needed to say before allowing Jillian to talk.

"And then as the time went along, I began to realize that we weren't going to get out of jail anytime soon and maybe even ever get out of jail and that was when I felt the beginnings of resentment toward you. I tried to hide that deep within my heart but it was there. I knew that I was just as responsible for what happened, I also made those promises to Granny but I had to blame someone other than myself and you were the only other person in the room with me. So you got the blame, unfairly but you got it and you got my resentment. And so when we were finally let out, I knew I had to get away from you and go somewhere I felt safe from being hurt and that was at home. If I had stayed with you, then the resentment that I was feeling would always be there inside of my heart and when we had an argument, I know I would bring it up. I was so scared that it would drive you to hate me and that I couldn't have. You see I still loved you with all my heart and I couldn't live with myself if I drove you to hate me. I would rather us be apart and never get back together with you still thinking fondly of me than me driving you to the point of hating me. That's I why I had to leave," Ashley said hoping that Jillian understood what she was saying.

Jillian, with tears free flowing down her cheeks, said, "So it was my fault, I should have prepared you better but I thought you didn't want to talk a lot about it. I should have made you understand what could and probably would happen, I screwed it up." Then Jillian began to really cry and Ashley scooted to her pulling her into her arms letting her cry for a moment but just a moment.

Ashley then pushed Jillian away and she said to her, "Jillian listen to me, listen to what I'm saying!"

"I am, I was wrong!" Jillian said to her and started to cry again.

Ashley took Jillian by the shoulders and shook her harshly getting Jillian's attention, "Listen to me girl!" Ashley said and she waited for a second as Jillian got it back together, "there wasn't anything you could have done to change things, I wouldn't have heard you. I was convinced that we wouldn't go to jail, no matter how much we talked about it and we did a lot. I had the fear in my heart about going to jail but it was just a fear and not a real belief. I looked at those articles about reporters going to jail too. But I still didn't think it would happen to us. I was the one at fault not you, I wasn't prepared to pay the price no matter what I said."

"Then I shouldn't have ever got you involved, you don't do that to someone you love," Jillian said.

"And then we would not be sitting here right now having this conversation. You would be with some skanky bitch and I would be home trying to figure out what to write about. Everything that happened has brought us to this point where Joyce leaves the safety of home to be with Aubree." Ashley told her.

"What?" Jillian said with this confused look on her face.

Ashley didn't say anything but just smiled at Jillian who had no clue as to what the hell she was talking about with the reference of Joyce. But then Jillian began to smile, "She did didn't she... I always knew that was the true ending of that story."

"No you didn't, you had no clue." Ashley said smiling and glad to see the tension gone from Jillian's face but then it returned.

"Do you still resent me... even a little?" Jillian asked.

"No I don't, and you can thank my mom for that too..." Ashley said to her.

"How's that?" Jillian asked.

"When I told you about going to work for my mom at the hotel cleaning it I left something out." Ashley told her.

"And that being..." Jillian asked.

"When I got back home, all I wanted to do was to sleep. That kept me from thinking of you, thinking of how much I hated you, how much I loved you, how much I missed you, it allowed me to just be numb and that is what I wanted but not what I needed. My mother allowed me to wallow in self pity for only so long and then she put me to work. She knew if she didn't do something I may never dig myself out of the hole I was digging for myself and it worked. I was working twelve hours a day trying to get things organized at the hotel. And while I helped to clean the rooms, I had time to think, I mean it doesn't take too much concentration to vacuum or wash a tub. I was able to get things clear in my head and then I got the idea for my book and I began to write it. So then I cut my hours down at the hotel filling them and some of my sleep time, putting that time into writing my book. And by writing, I was able to expel the demons that were within me. I was able to see how naive I was and how I should have known what was coming. I saw you getting prepared and I chose to let you do it by yourself. I came to realize that it wasn't your fault and I also began to realize how much I love you and how much I missed you. I mean the only one that was farting in my bed was me..." Ashley said with a smile.

"I only farted once... aren't you ever going to let me forget that?" Jillian said with her hands on her hips and she was pouting at her.

"Nope..." Ashley said with a big grin.

Jillian laughed a little and then she said, "Come here."

Ashley slide over to Jillian letting Jillian pull her up onto her legs and she wrapped her legs around Jillian's waist. Jillian put her hands to Ashley's face holding it tenderly as she asked, "So you really don't resent me anymore, everything is okay with us?"

"Yes everything is cool, I got it all worked out and this is where I want and need to be." Ashley said then she gave Jillian a kiss to seal the deal.

"Good, but I'm still sorry..." Jillian said to her after the kiss.

"Now how about you, how do you feel about me leaving you and then making sure that you knew that I didn't want to hear from you until I was ready to do so, if I was ever ready?" Ashley asked.

Jillian sucked in her breath before answering, "I admit, I was hurt by what you did, hurt badly but Maggie and JoAnn helped me get through that.

"How so?" Ashley asked feeling just a bit of jealously wondering if they had been coming up and giving Jillian what she was denying her.

"They kept telling me to hang on and let you work through this and they also..." Jillian said then stopped herself.

"They also what?" Ashley asked now really feeling some jealously toward her former friends.

"They told me that you would ask them how I was doing and what I was doing. They made sure that I knew that you hadn't stopped thinking about me and they also said that they could tell that you still loved me and needed me but you just needed time." Jillian said. "But you can't tell them I told you but they are the ones that were ratting you out."

"I don't mind..." Ashley said than then she said shyly, "Once they told me where you were and what you doing, I began to look every day for any of your articles. I even read the obits that you wrote, anything that you wrote I had to read. I even got an online subscription just so I wouldn't miss anything."

"So we were keeping tabs on each other..." Jillian said.

"Afraid so..." Ashley said with a smile.

"I guess everything has worked out and you're here..." Jillian said and then her eyes teared up and she sobbed out, "Oh god I missed you so much..."

Ashley pulled Jillian into her body holding her tightly saying into Jillian's ear, "I missed you so much too. I'm sorry I stayed away so long." Then she too began to sob and they both cried hard letting their emotions out. They cried a long time before their tears began to ease and they separated a little.

"And it's your god damn fault that I got so fucking fat!" Jillian said seriously but not with any venom in her voice.

"I like you so god damn fat, more of you for me to love." Ashley told her just as seriously.

"God I can't win with you can I?" Jillian asked.

"Nope and it's your fault that I am in so great shape, all your god damn exercises and then working my ass off at the hotel just to get you out of my system," Ashley told her.

"Well I love your body not that I didn't before." Jillian told her.

"And I love yours, you were too thin before not that I didn't think you were beautiful, you were but now you look so radiant and I love it," Ashley said to her as she brushed the hair from Jillian's eyes and caressed her cheeks.

"I'm radiant because you're back in my life where you should be." Jillian said.

"Yes I am and now you're stuck with me." Ashley told her taking off her glasses making Jillian grin as she knew what was about to happen. Ashley leaned in giving Jillian a kiss that lingered on and on as neither wanted it to end. Ashley slowly eased Jillian back onto her back, laying down on top of her as she kept kissing her using only her lips letting them part only to come back again.

After kissing for a long while, Ashley eased down in the bed until her head was over Jillian's chest and she began to relax. She felt Jillian's hand on her back caressing her and Jillian's other hand on her arm caressing it.

"I'm glad that Joyce decided to leave her home," Jillian told Ashley in a soft loving voice.

"Joyce didn't leave her home, she came home to where Aubree was; that was her home; she just needed a little time to figure that out." Ashley corrected Jillian.

"I'm glad that she did," Joyce said softly giving her a kiss on top of Ashley's head. Ashley let out a contented coo happy that she was back in her lover's arms. She slowly drifted off to sleep feeling loved once again.

When Ashley awoke the next morning, she first saw that there was light coming from the bedroom window but it didn't look her bedroom window at home. She was confused at first but slowly as her brain awoke, she realized why everything looked so strange, and she was not in her bedroom at her parent's home but in Jillian's bedroom. She rolled onto her back and got a good look at the bedroom. It was not as big as the one in Jillian's apartment but it was warm and comfy, maybe needing some paint or wallpaper but nice all the same. She listened for Jillian for a moment but she heard no sound.

She looked up at the clock with its large digital numbers and saw that it was ten in the morning, "Oh shit!" she said aloud. She flung the covers off of her and jumped out of the bed with her bare feet hitting the cold hardwood floors. "Fuck me!" Ashley cried out, jerking her feet back up. She looked around for her socks, finding them, she ran and got them returning to her bed to put the thick wooly socks on her cold feet. She knew that Jillian was already at work and she was a bit pissed at her for not waking her up before leaving. Ashley went ahead and put on the sweat suit that Jillian had given to her yesterday before heading to the bathroom to pee and brush her teeth. She went from there to the kitchen to get something to drink. She went straight to the fridge and there she noticed a hastily written note held up by a magnet.

Ashley,

If I know you and I believe that I do, I'm sure that you're pissed that I didn't wake you before leaving.

Ashley had to smile at this as Jillian did know her well but she was still a little pissed at her until she read the next line.

But you were sleeping so peacefully and I know that you needed the sleep. I just didn't have the heart to wake you, hope you forgive me...

Ashley said aloud, "Okay you're forgiven."

Make yourself at home and you can put your clothes up, I left you the same drawers that you had before. I could never make myself use them and you'll find some of your old stuff still there, but with your new hot bod, I'm not sure that they will still fit. As for everything else in the house, what's mine is now also yours. So have a good day and I'll see you this evening.

Love ya girl,

Jillian

PS If you need to call or text me, you know my number. If I don't answer right away, don't worry. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Ashley realized that her eyes were teary by the time that she had finished the letter and she took it with her as she went to find her purse and her phone. She folded the letter, putting it into her billfold to save. She then got her phone and sent a text to Jillian.

"You're forgiven this time but tomorrow if you leave without waking me, you're ass is mine!" Ashley wrote and then she put her phone onto to charge once she got back into the kitchen.

Ashley got herself a pop to drink and searched around for something to eat as she was starving. She found some bagels and strawberry flavored cream cheese. She cut the bagel in half before putting it into the toaster. When it was toasted, she put the cream cheese on it. She had meant to eat just one half but she found that she really was hungry and soon the other half was gone. She had just finished off the bagel with her phone buzzed indicating that she got a message.

She looked at the return text from Jillian, "I thought my ass was already yours... LOL"

"And don't you forget it!" Ashley had to text back. Ashley waited for a second for a reply and when she didn't get one, she went back to the bedroom to unpack her stuff. She went to the dresser opening the top right hand drawer and there she found some of her things, just as she had left them. Again she teared up, feeling so nice knowing that Jillian had really been waiting for her to return. She already knew this but a reminder didn't hurt. Once she had her stuff put up, she got out her laptop out and set it up on the kitchen table. She figured that she wrote her first book using the kitchen table and she might as well write her second one from there. As her laptop warmed up, she placed a call to her mom, filling her in on how things had gone. Her mother didn't seem too surprised that things had sort of worked themselves out between her and Jillian and she told her how happy she was for her. She talked for another few minutes to her mom, and then she let her go promising to call her back in a few days.

The next thing she did was to send a text to both Maggie and JoAnn, "I'm up here with Jillian, I just couldn't stay away from the bitch... give my love to Granny."

JoAnn was the first to text her back, "You were meant to be with Jillian and Jillian with you, you're perfect together, glad that it has worked out."

Maggie texted next, "I knew you would come to your senses and go to Jillian but JoAnn was worried to death."

Ashley had to laugh at that and laughed harder when she got a text from JoAnn almost immediately after getting Maggie's text, "I wasn't that worried, you know Maggie she likes to stretch the truth..."

"I do not!" Maggie then text back.

"When you two are done arguing, give me a call," Ashley texted both of them as she laughed at her two friends.

It took about ten minutes before she got that call, she wasn't sure if they were arguing that whole time or what, but when she answered the phone, it wasn't Maggie or JoAnn but Granny. So she talked to her for an half hour catching up on what she had been doing and having to tell Granny that the time in the jail didn't break her and Jillian up but actually made their relationship stronger and that she believed was true or would be true soon enough. Once she had reassured Granny and had talked to her, she was able to talk to Maggie and JoAnn for a while. She had neglected them too and she needed to make up for that. While she did call them, it was mostly to find out about Jillian and now she could just find out about them. They talked for well over an hour before JoAnn had to go to class so they promised to call when Jillian could talk too.

When she got off the phone, she went to her laptop going to where she had a folder set up with her notes on ideas she had for her next book. She studied several before deciding on one. She set up another folder and she began to think about an outline for the book, trying to expand on the ideas that she had already put down. She worked until she got a text from Jillian saying that she would be home in an hour. Ashley looked at her watch and saw that it was already five, she couldn't believe that she had been working that long, it had seemed like it had been only a few minutes. But time did seem to disappear on her when she wrote. Ashley text Jillian asking what she wanted for dinner and she would get it started. Jillian's immediately texted back that the pantry was empty, she'd pick up something on her way home. Ashley had to laugh, seeing that Jillian obviously still hated to go grocery shopping. She had done it all the year that they were together and she saw that she would be the one doing it now. She didn't want to eat take out every night or she would gain all of her weight back.

"Honey, I'm home!" Ashley heard Jillian call out as she came in from the bitter cold.

"I'm in the kitchen," Ashley called back to her.

"Well now that looks familiar," Jillian said as she came into the kitchen with her satchel in one hand and a bag with Chinese writing on the outside so Ashley knew that they were eating Chinese tonight. Jillian put the bag down on the table then started to where Ashley was sitting.

"I don't know why but I do my best writing when I'm at the kitchen table." Ashley said as she looked up at Jillian who was leaning down to give her a kiss.

Jillian placed her hands on Ashley shoulders as she kissed her and Ashley put her hands over Jillian's glove covered hands feeling the cold that was still there.

"Baby, you're cold, go put something warm on and I'll get supper ready. What do you want to drink?" Ashley asked her.

"Something hot and chocolate..." Jillian said with a smile before heading out of the kitchen. Ashley had to watch that ass she loved, that ass that was a little fuller now but still as kissable.

Ashley sat there for another moment thinking of that ass and the rest of Jillian's body and she felt the slightest of twitches in her pussy. That was when she hit the save icon on her computer and she got up to reheat their food and get Jillian something hot to drink.

Jillian came back a few minutes later, dressed now in a pair of wooly socks and a loose fitting sweat suit with her face freshly washed and all traces of makeup gone. Jillian's eyes went from Ashley to the two cups of hot tea sitting on the table.

"What happened to my hot chocolate?" Jillian asked slightly disappointed to see the tea.

"It's still there but we're going to save that for special occasions, tonight since we're having Chinese, then tea is more appropriate don't you think?" Ashley asked.

"I guess..." Jillian replied without any real conviction in her voice.

"It will be, now sit down and let's eat and you can tell me about your exciting day," Ashley said taking Jillian's hand, bringing her to the table and making her sit down.

"I'm afraid that my day was boring, not a lot happens around here in the winter. I worked mostly on a story for the Sunday paper about a couple of elderly sisters that run a soup kitchen and give out food for those in need." Jillian said to her as she took a sip of her tea and she smiled.

"See hot tea can be warming too," Ashley told her.

"Yea but not as sweet..." Jillian said.

"That what you got me for now," Ashley said with a wink that made Jillian laugh.

"True, except when you are a sourpuss..." Jillian quipped back.

"I'm never a souppuss..." Ashley said getting a frown from Jillian, "Okay I'm rarely a sourpuss... Now tell me about the sisters, they sound interesting."

"If you insist..." Jillian said to her, "but that will ruin the story on Sunday."

"I'll take that chance, now talk," Ashley told her and Jillian did go into detail about the sisters and how they had been doing this for over thirty years and still loving it. This took them through dinner and putting up the left over Chinese food.

"So how was your day?" Jillian asked.

"I'll tell you about it as we go grocery shopping," Ashley told her as she headed out of the kitchen.

"Grocery shopping, you know I hate grocery shopping," Jillian wined.

"I know but I don't have a car and I don't have a clue as to where the grocery store is, so you get to take me." Ashley told her.

"We're going to have to get you a car soon," Jillian told her. "But I got all my money tied up in this house and I don't have a lot left over."

"It's cool, I'll get one when I sell my first book, besides we got along just fine with just one car when we were at the university." Ashley said as she entered the bedroom.

"But there we could walk to class and really didn't need two cars, now we do." Jillian told her.

"We'll survive, besides it's not like I can't do my work at home, you can't and need the car. I'll be fine." Ashley said to her.

Jillian came up to her, putting her hands to Ashley's sides and Ashley could see Jillian get this serious look in her eyes, "But I don't want you to feel trapped here with no place to go." She said to her.

Ashley put her hands to Jillian's cheeks, "Honey there is a big difference between being stuck inside a jail cell and being here. I can go out anytime I want and if I want to go someplace, I can call a cab. I'm not trapped here and never will be so get that thought out of your head." Ashley told her and then she smiled as she added, "However you are trapped into taking me to the grocery store and going inside with me, so get your ass dressed."

"No way I can bribe my way out of it?" Jillian asked.

"Nope," Ashley said giving Jillian a light kiss before pulling away from her.

"That's what I figured," Jillian said with a laugh. "Now tell me about your day."

Ashley began to tell Jillian about calling Maggie and JoAnn and about talking to Granny as Jillian got them warm clothes to wear. And then as they went on to the grocery store, Ashley told Jillian about how bad she felt about not talking to Maggie and JoAnn much or going to see them. She knew that she had used them to keep up with her and Jillian told her that they knew that and didn't mind, nor did she as that is what kept her going while Ashley was away from her. Jillian didn't protest much as they did their shopping and Ashley insisted on paying from the money that her mother had given to her for working for free while she was at home. Ashley told Jillian about feeling a little guilty about taking the money as it was a couple of thousand dollars but she also knew she would need it and had worked hard for it.

On the way home Jillian told her about using the last of her school money to get the house that she now had. It was under foreclosure and she got a great deal on it. She wanted to have something that they could call their own when Ashley got there. Jillian admitted that with the way that the newspapers were closing and cutting down on reporters, she might and thus they might be there for a while and Ashley assured her that she would get used to the cold of winter and heat of summer.

After they filled the pantry and fridge with food, they sat in the living room listening to music and talking. They each had lots to tell the other as they caught back up. A lot had happened to both of them while they were apart and each wanted to know everything about the other. Around ten, Ashley saw that Jillian was beginning to get tired so she suggested that they take a shower and head to bed.

"You want to shower first?" Jillian asked her.

"Only if you're going to be in there with me..." Ashley told her and she saw the smile come across Jillian's lips and the twinkle to her eyes.

"I'd love to join you there..." Jillian said getting up and holding out her hand to Ashley who took it.

"I was hoping that you would want to shower together..." Jillian said to her as she took her hand, walking back to the bathroom with her.

"You know all you got to do is ask, you don't have to walk on egg shells around me," Ashley assured her.

"Okay, I'll try to remember that, but if I forget then tell me," Jillian told her as she leaned against her while they walked.

"Oh don't you know that I will," Ashley told her with a grin as they entered the bathroom. Ashley went first to the sink, taking her glasses off and putting them on the sink counter.

Ashley noticed that Jillian stopped and was watching her and she realized for the time being, she was going to have to take the lead. She knew that eventually Jillian would go back to being the aggressor as it was her nature to be. However for now, Jillian seemed to be content to let Ashley lead them to where she thought they needed to go. So Ashley went to the tub and got the water started for their shower. She then turned to Jillian, who was watching her every move, and she began to undress. She did so like it was no big deal and something that she had done in front of Jillian many times before, which, of course, was true except this time it had been several months between undressings. She had taken her top off the previous night and had peed in front of Jillian since she had gotten there but now she was undressing completely. She pulled her sweat shirt off leaving her topless since she hadn't bothered to put on a bra. She then hooked her thumbs into her sweatpants and panties pushing them off her hips and down her legs. She slipped then and her socks off leaving her naked. She saw Jillian looking at her and she liked seeing Jillian's eyes go from her face to her head to her toes.

"Well," Ashley said putting her hands to her hips.

Jillian actually blushed as she smiled, "I was just looking at how beautiful you are, even more beautiful than I remembered," Jillian said softly.

"Thank you," Ashley mouthed to Jillian before stepping up to her, putting her hands on Jillian's hips. She gave Jillian a light kiss on the lips before pulling Jillian's sweat shirt up and off with Jillian raising her arms to help her. Jillian did the last part getting the sweatshirt off her upper arms since it was out of Ashley's reach. She put her hands back to Jillian's hips and she began to push her sweatpants down, taking the panties with them. She saw Jillian's blond bush come to view and she had to lick her lips. Ashley went down to her knees to finish getting Jillian's sweatpants and panties off along with her socks.

Ashley looked up into Jillian's eyes giving her a wink before leaning in toward Jillian's hairy pussy. Ashley could just see the end of the string from Jillian's tampon sticking out from between Jillian's pussy lips. Ashley moved on in so that she could give Jillian a light kiss to her clit making Jillian let out a soft moan.

Ashley came back up to her feet, giving Jillian another light kiss who could only smile. She then turned and bent over to adjust the temperature of the water. As she was bent over, she felt Jillian's hand touch her lightly on her right ass cheek. Ashley kept still, letting Jillian touch her for a moment before finishing adjusting the water.

"Let's get clean..." Ashley told Jillian giving her a wink as she pulled the shower curtain back and stepping into the tub. She held the curtain open for Jillian who stepped on in going to the water and letting her body get wet. Jillian then turned and smiled, moving to the side so that Ashley could move past her. Ashley made sure to rub against Jillian as she passed by her. It was a small tub so that wasn't too hard to do but she made sure that Jillian knew that she was doing it on purpose. Ashley got her hair and body wet doing so with her back to the water and facing Jillian who was watching her.

Ashley stepped up close to Jillian and she reached around her pressing her body against Jillian's body. She took one of the bottles of bodywash, not caring which one it was. Jillian was watching her as she poured a little into her hand. Jillian reached out to take the bottle but instead of giving it to her. Ashley turned Jillian's right hand up and she poured some into her hand.

Jillian gave her a confused look and a bit of a disappointed look as she thought that they were just going to wash their own bodies, however when Ashley put the bottle down and she rubbed her hands together for a bit before placing them on Jillian's shoulders.

"Oh," Jillian said catching on to what Ashley wanted her to do.

"Yes Oh..." Ashley said with a grin.

Jillian rubbed her hands together before placing them on Ashley's arms and she began to caress and clean them, well more caress than clean.

"I thought you wanted to take it slow..." Jillian said to her softly.

End of Part Eleven

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think of my story. I welcome all comments good or bad. You can email me at numlfl@hotmail.com